


Balancing Out

by Brigantine



Category: due South
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-25
Updated: 2011-08-25
Packaged: 2017-10-23 01:46:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/244876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brigantine/pseuds/Brigantine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stairs, a sprained knee, and Ray is loopier than Benton is comfortable with.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Balancing Out

**Author's Note:**

> Snippet prompt was "lean," and then Ray started singing in my head... oh dear.

Fraser holds Ray steady while he unlocks the door of his apartment, then helps him over the threshold. Ray shifts from singing, "Lean on me, when you're not strong..." repeatedly and in no key in particular, to "Here comes the bride."

Fraser huffs, "Very amusing, Ray."

Ray chuckles, and returns to "Lean on me..." ending at "...car-ry on..." as Fraser deposits him on the end of his bed. Ray holds out the little paper sack from the hospital pharmacy and starts to shrug free of his gun harness. "You sure you wanna babysit me?"

"The doctor said you need to stay off that knee for a few days," Fraser reminds. "Will you do that if left to your own devices? I think not. Now, what medication did he prescr--ah. I might have guessed."

Ray cackles, "Codeine is our friend, Benton buddy. Unlike fire escapes, which are evil." He's managed to remove one boot, but his damaged knee interferes with tackling the other. "Don't sleep on the couch tonight, 'kay? It's lumpy."

Fraser assists with the remaining boot. "You want me to sleep in here? With you?"

Ray yawns hugely, struggling to pull his t-shirt over his head. "It's a big bed."

Fraser untangles first Ray's left elbow from his shirt, then his right. He has tormented himself nights with dreams of just this much of Ray's skin. "I wouldn't want to exacerbate your knee."

"Hey Fraser?" Ray peers at him earnestly.

"Yes?"

"Y'know any time you need to, you can lean on me, right?"

"I count on that every day, Ray."

"You have a bullet stuck in your back," Ray says.

Fraser blinks at the truth.

He discovers that in bed Ray is an insistent burrower. He is warm, wriggly, and prone to dreamy humming. It's surprising, how quickly Fraser falls asleep.


End file.
